"Shigeru's life is under constant threat, but just as he is surrounded by implacable enemies, he is also supported by loyal allies, such as Lady Murayama, the only woman rule in the Three Countries. And he has friends among the Tribe, the clandestine network of assassins who not only will protect him but also will reveal the existence of a boy in a remote mountain village - a boy who belongs to the secret sect known as the Hidden, a boy who might prove to be vital to the future of the Otori."--BOOK JACKET.